


pet shop boys

by theglitterati



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Dogs, M/M, Meet-Cute, finding a kindred spirit in the harsh climate of capitalism
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-03
Updated: 2021-02-05
Packaged: 2021-03-14 05:21:35
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 4,565
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29165625
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/theglitterati/pseuds/theglitterati
Summary: Kuroo works at an animal shelter. Akaashi wants a dog.
Relationships: Akaashi Keiji/Kuroo Tetsurou
Comments: 18
Kudos: 84





	1. Chapter 1

“Hold still, Momo.” The cat in Kuroo’s hands ignored him and continued to shake her head. He tried, again, to tie the cone around her neck — she had just returned from the vet after being spayed — but she had no interest in letting him do so. She batted at the string, sinking her claws in and pulling it from his hands. “That’s not a toy!” 

Behind Kuroo, the door opened, bell chiming. “Sorry, be right with you!”

“Please don’t rush,” the customer said, his voice quiet.

“Aha!” Kuroo got the tie back from Momo, knotting it around her neck — one finger tucked inside, so it wouldn’t be too tight. She smacked him for his trouble. “Ow! Fine, be that way.” 

He tucked her back in her cage with a pat on the butt and turned around. “Sorry about that—”

He stopped short. An angel stood before him, in the form of the hottest guy he’d seen in his life.

The angel’s hair was dark, curling gently over his ears. He had eyes you could get lost in for weeks, a deep blue, topped with thick eyebrows. One of which quirked as he watched Kuroo flounder. “Yes?”

“S-sorry,” Kuroo repeated. God, he could feel his face heating up. Hot Guy was going to think he was a complete moron. “Sorry about the wait. How can I help you?”

“My name is Akaashi Keiji. I’m here to adopt a dog. I spoke to someone named Kuroo-san on the phone—”

“That’s me! I’m Kuroo-san. Um, Kuroo. Tetsurou.” Fuck. “Let me grab your file.” He opened the cabinet beside Momo’s cage. She stared at him, judging.

“Right, here it is.” He tried to offer Akaashi a normal smile, but he was looking down, fidgeting with the leash in his hand. He seemed nervous; Kuroo couldn’t imagine why. With his looks, he could demand whatever he wanted in life and people would bring it to him on a silver platter.

Kuroo scanned the file. “You’re fine with any breed?” Akaashi hadn’t specified during his phone interview.

“Yes, that’s right.” He finally glanced up, and, _wow,_ those eyes—

“Okay, cool!” Something Kuroo was definitely not being right now. He picked up his keys. “The dogs are in the other room, if you, uh, want to follow me.”

Kuroo led Akaashi down a short hallway, unlocking the door at the end and holding it open for him. The dogs started barking immediately.

“We have three dogs here at the moment.” It was early fall, far from puppy season. “I’ll introduce you to all of them, and you can choose one or not. Sound good?”

“Sure.”

Kuroo shut the door behind them and opened the first cage. A maltese trotted out, jumping at Kuroo’s feet.

“Hey, girl.” He patted her head. “This is Aiko. She’s four years old. Her last owner was an elderly woman who passed away, and the family couldn’t keep her.”

“She’s cute,” Akaashi said. “May I pet her?”

“Of course you can!” Wow, Akaashi was polite.

He bent down. Aiko barked. “Oh, maybe I shouldn’t—”

“Nah, don’t worry. She just barks when she gets excited. She’s kind of loud.” Not a selling point, but Kuroo found it was best to be honest. Better not to have animals returned because owners didn’t know what they were getting into. Akaashi reached out to Aiko, laughing when she licked his fingers. They would be an okay match, although if Kuroo were a betting man, he wouldn’t put his money on Akaashi choosing her.

“Aiko, back in now, please,” Kuroo said. She dutifully returned to her cage; she was loud, but well-behaved. “Dog number two?” Akaashi nodded.

This was who he banked on Akaashi picking. “Kiniro!”

Kiniro came out of her cage. She was a tall golden retriever with a shiny coat and a mouth that always looked like she was smiling. She walked straight to Akaashi and sat at his feet. “Oh, she’s pretty,” Akaashi said.

“That she is.” She and Akaashi could have starred in a dog food commercial together. 

“This is Kiniro. She’s a year old. A family bought her as a puppy, but their kid turned out to be allergic, so she ended up here. As you can see, she’s super well-trained. She even knows tricks! Ask her for her paw.”

“Um, okay.” Akaashi held out a hand. Kiniro placed her paw in it gracefully.

“Good girl,” Kuroo said. “She’s basically the perfect dog, provided you don’t have allergies. The only thing is, if you want her, you’ll have to take her today, because I have a couple coming tomorrow who will definitely take her if she’s still here.” They had specifically told Kuroo they were interested in a retriever or lab.

He half-expected Akaashi to agree on the spot. Instead, he rubbed Kiniro’s head and said, “can I meet the third one?”

“Yep.” Kuroo tucked Kiniro back into her cage and moved on.

Kuroo was only a volunteer at the shelter on evenings and weekends; by day, he was a salesman for a medical equipment company. Occasionally, his sales skills came in handy here.

“You might want to back up,” he told Akaashi. He flicked the cage open. “Ryuji! Come here, boy!”

The dog bounded out of the cage, running straight to Akaashi and jumping at his chest. He threw his hands in the air, glancing at Kuroo.

“Don’t be scared,” Kuroo said. “He’s never hurt a fly. He’s just… excitable.”

“I can see that,” Akaashi said, laughing as Ryuji bounced around him.

“Ryuji,” Kuroo said in his sternest voice. “Settle down.” It kind of worked; Ryuji stopped jumping and rolled over at Akaashi’s feet, wiggling back and forth.

Kuroo put on his best smile. “This is Ryuji. He’s about five years old. He came to us from another shelter — he was going to be put down because he was there for so long, but since we’re a no-kill shelter, we offered to take him in. We don’t know much about his past, and we don’t know what breed he is. Or, breeds. He’s clearly a mix.” Ryuji, who was now licking Akaashi’s shoes, was a mottled grey colour, streaked through with lighter patches. “There’s maybe some terrier in there — he’s got the mustache — but we can’t really say.”

Akaashi squatted down to rub Ryuji’s proffered tummy. He stated the obvious before Kuroo could. “His head is crooked.”

“Yep!” Kuroo’s smile didn’t falter. “He suffered from a vestibular infection at some point in his life. It’s an inner ear thing that affects balance. He’s been healthy for at least a year now, but his tilt won’t go away. He’s a bit wobbly on his feet sometimes, too.”

“Does it hurt him?” Akaashi asked. 

“No, not at all. As you can see, he loves to run around and play. He’s a pretty active dog. He gets along with other dogs, too, so he’d like the dog park. I mean, I think he would. He’s never been.”

Kuroo ran through the script in his head, making sure he hadn’t forgotten anything. This wasn’t the first time he’d tried to find Ryuji a home.

Akaashi stared at the dog for a long time. Bored of tummy rubs, Ryuji got up and jumped on him again. The _play with me!_ vibes were strong. Akaashi’s face was unreadable.

“I’ll take him,” Akaashi said.

“What? Really?”

“Yes. I would like to take him home. The others are sweet, but Ryuji feels right. I’m guessing his chances of being adopted aren’t as good as theirs?” Kuroo nodded. “Okay. I’d like to help him, then.”

“Wow, that’s— that’s great!” Kuroo was back to stuttering; Akaashi’s looks were one thing, but he was kind, too? That wasn’t fair. “Really, I’m— I’m so glad. He’s been here for a while, you know? And I just—” Whoa, nope, no way was he going to tear up. He coughed into his hand. “Let’s fill out the paperwork, shall we?”

The three of them went out front, Ryuji now attached to Akaashi’s leash. Momo, noticing the dog, hissed. “Relax, please,” Kuroo told her. He punched Akaashi’s information into the computer and had him pay the twenty thousand yen adoption fee. He gave Akaashi a bag of food and Ryuji’s vet file, going over what vaccinations he’d had.

“You can change his name if you want,” Kuroo told him. “He had a different one at the other shelter, and he’ll answer to pretty much anything. I named him Ryuji when he got here—”

“You named him?”

“Um, yeah. I thought he deserved a cool name. I know he’s not very dragon-like, but—”

“I like it,” Akaashi declared. “I think I’ll keep it.”

“Oh,” Kuroo said. “Good.” Was there an implication behind Akaashi’s words? Did he like the name because he liked Kuroo? Was that—

“So, is that all?” 

Kuroo mentally kicked himself. “Yes, that’s it. Unless you have any questions.”

Akaashi shook his head. “I don’t think so.”

“Okay, then.” Kuroo bent down and gave Ryuji a kiss on the forehead. “Enjoy your new home, boy!” Ryuji licked his face as a thank you. “Akaashi-san, I’ll give you a call soon.”

Akaashi blinked. “You will?”

“Yes, for the check-in. We usually call after a week or so.”

“Oh, right, of course. I’ll talk to you then.” Akaashi led Ryuji to the door. “Um, have a good day, Kuroo-san.”

“You too.” Kuroo gave an awkward wave. As soon as the door shut behind them, he collapsed on the counter with a sigh.

Behind him, Momo meowed loudly.

“Don’t start,” Kuroo told her.


	2. Chapter 2

The following Saturday, Kuroo transferred Momo to her new family. She seemed to realize she was going home when she saw the carrier, her bad attitude vanishing as she rubbed against the young couple’s fingers, mewing like an innocent kitten.

“If you could just sign here, she’s all yours,” Kuroo said. He made a copy of the adoption papers for her owners and put the originals in her file. “I’ll call in about a week, but please let us know if you need anything in the meantime.” He bent down to the carrier. “Momo, you be a good girl, okay?” 

Out of sight of her new owners, Momo leered at him.

The couple thanked him and left. Kuroo only had a second to put her papers away before the door opened again.

He saw Ryuji, charging in like this was a sausage factory and not a shelter, before he saw Akaashi. He was bundled up in a scarf, cheeks pink from the wind. “Hello, Kuroo-san.”

Kuroo was not happy to see him. It was never good to see a pet he’d sent home back so soon. “You’re not here to return him, are you?”

Akaashi’s eyebrows lifted. “Oh god, no!” He waved his hands. “I’m sorry, I should have called first—”

“No, it’s okay,” Kuroo said, even as he heaved a sigh of relief. “I shouldn’t have been so rude.” Returns happened, for good reasons and bad, and normally Kuroo was happy to accommodate. It was better to have the animal here, safe, than in an unhappy home. But Ryuji was different — _Akaashi_ was different — and Kuroo would have been devastated if it hadn’t worked out.

He bent down to pet Ryuji, who had wandered behind the counter. “How are things going?” he asked Akaashi. “I was going to call you tomorrow.”

“He’s wonderful,” Akaashi said. “He’s been very well-behaved, too.”

“Any accidents in the house, or aggression?”

“None.”

“Good,” Kuroo said. “That’s really good. What brings you here, then?” Now that he wasn’t worrying about Ryuji, Kuroo was able to focus on Akaashi again. He’d wondered, bored out of his mind at his day job and staring out the window, if he had exaggerated Akaashi’s looks in his memory. He hadn’t.

“Well,” Akaashi said, “I’ve taken Ryuji on a walk every day, but he has a lot of energy. I remembered what you said about taking him to a dog park, and I was wondering if you knew any good ones.”

“Oh, sure. You live nearby, right?” Akaashi nodded. “The best one is in Akutagawa park, but it’s huge and pretty busy, so I like the one at Sendaizawa park better. It’s usually the same crowd of people there, and they’ve all got nice dogs.” Kuroo glanced at Ryuji; he was fast asleep on the floor. “Not that he’s ever had trouble making friends. Here, I’ll show you on the computer.”

Kuroo pulled up a map of the park on-screen. “It’s there, just behind the pond. Want me to print this for you?”

“Oh, um…” Akaashi was fidgeting with the leash again. “Actually…”

“Yes?”

“I was wondering if… if you would come with me. That’s why I came. I mean, I know how to use Google Maps.” He flustered. “Sorry, I don’t do this much.”

 _Do this much?_ “Wait, are you asking me out?”

“I’m trying to, yes.”

Kuroo stared. Akaashi wanted to go out with _him?_

“Unless that’s out of line,” Akaashi continued. “I thought, the other day, there might have been something there, but if not—”

“No! I mean, yeah, there— there was. Something. I— ha. I would love to go out with you, Akaashi-san.”

“Okay,” Akaashi tucked his chin. “Okay, good.”

“Um,” Kuroo said, “when do you want to—”

“Are you free tomorrow?”

Kuroo nodded so hard his neck ached. “Yes. I’ll be here until three, and then I’m free.”

“That sounds good. Should I meet you here at three?”

“Actually, can we meet at the park at three-thirty?” Kuroo said. “If we’re going to a dog park, I should probably bring my dog.”

*

“That’s your dog!?”

“If you’re going to laugh at her, this date will be over.” Akaashi looked genuinely scared. “I’m kidding. You can laugh at her a little.”

“She’s just not what I expected.” Akaashi bent down to inspect her. He had to bend pretty far, considering how little she was. Ryuji sniffed her and stared at Akaashi as if to say, _what is this thing?_

“She’s a poodle?” Akaashi asked. Kuroo nodded. “What’s her name?”

“Fuwafuwa.” _Fluffy._

“Seriously?”

“In my defense, I didn’t know I was going to be the one adopting her when I named her that.” He scratched the back of his neck. “Still wanna date me?”

“I do,” Akaashi said, straightening up. “Though I’m not sure what that says about me.”

“Hey, at least my dog’s head’s on straight. Come on, let’s take their leashes off.”

Akaashi reached for Ryuji’s collar. “It’s okay to just let them run free? I’ve never been to a dog park before.”

“Yup. Those old ladies over there” — Kuroo waved — “they’re always here, and I know their dogs. These two will have fun with them.” Sure enough, as soon as they were unleashed, Ryuji and Fuwafuwa took off towards the other dogs, jumping right into a tug-of-war fight over some sticks. “See?”

“They do look happy,” Akaashi said. Kuroo led him to a bench far from the old ladies. “So, Fuwafuwa was a shelter dog, too?”

“Yeah. I’ve had her a bit over two years. She’s super sweet, but she’s diabetic. She needs regular vet checkups, and her insulin is expensive, which isn't something everyone can handle. But my job pays okay, so after she’d been there for a year, I just took her home.”

“I see. So the shelter isn’t your job, then?”

“No, I wish. I sell medical equipment to hospitals. X-rays, MRIs, stuff like that. It’s nothing special.” Kuroo realized he hadn’t asked Akaashi anything about himself. “What do you do?”

“I’m a shounen manga editor.”

“Wow, that’s… really cool.”. Of course Akaashi had an awesome job to match everything else awesome about him.

He grimaced. “It’s not. Everyone thinks that, but I actually kind of hate it. It’s both monotonous and stressful at the same time. I’m pretty burnt out on it, but I don’t know what to do instead.”

“I know the feeling,” Kuroo said. “If I could quit my job and work at the shelter, even for minimum wage, I’d do it. But I’m just a volunteer.”

Akaashi nodded. “I used to want to be a writer. I took the manga job just so I could work in publishing, but now I have no time to write. I’m too tired to even have ideas.” He stopped, glancing up at Kuroo. “Sorry, I’m complaining a lot, aren’t I? This must be a pretty depressing first date for you.”

Kuroo laughed. “Actually, it’s nice to know I’m not the only one who thinks these things.” It was also nice to know Akaashi wasn’t as perfect as he looked; it made Kuroo like him more. “You know what helps?”

“What?”

“Petting dogs.” He stood. “Shall we?”

*

Once they and the dogs were tired out, Kuroo walked Akaashi back to his apartment. After some leash adjustments, he took Akaashi’s hand in his. He was too nervous to look at him, but from the corner of his eye, he thought he saw him smile.

“This is me,” Akaashi said, stopping in front of a high-rise indistinguishable from the others on the street. Ryuji, happy to be home, jumped at the door. “I’d invite you in, but I think my roommate has his girlfriend over.”

“That’s okay,” Kuroo said. “But does that mean we could go on another date?”

Akaashi’s eyes crinkled when he smiled. It was lovely. “I’d like that.”

Kuroo resisted the urge to pump his fist. “Me too.” He hesitated, not wanting to leave. “Well, I guess I—”

“Wait.”

Before Kuroo could think, Akaashi closed the distance between them, pressing his lips to Kuroo’s. Kuroo was so surprised he almost forgot to kiss back, but when he did, he found Akaashi’s lips warm and welcoming. They opened against his, the tip of his tongue brushing Kuroo’s. Kuroo wrapped an arm around Akaashi’s waist, dragging him closer.

They were interrupted by a loud bark. Fuwafuwa sat at Kuroo’s feet, staring pointedly at him.

“Sorry.” He leaned his forehead against Akaashi’s, reluctant to pull away. “She’s possessive.”

“Guess I’ll have to get on her good side,” Akaashi said. He leaned in for another kiss.

Ryuji stopped them this time, whining at the door. “I suppose we should probably go in,” Akaashi relented.

“Okay.” Kuroo couldn’t say no to Ryuji, no matter how badly he wanted to. “I’ll text you.”

“Good.” Akaashi gave Kuroo a peck on the cheek before going inside. “Goodnight, Kuroo-san.” Kuroo waved, watching him disappear into the lobby. 

Fuwafuwa huffed at his feet.

“Oh, don’t be jealous,” he told her. “You’re still my number one girl.”


	3. Chapter 3

_Kozume Kenma: what time is dog-guy coming over_

_Kuroo Tetsurou: like now, and don’t call him dog-guy. he’s a human man_

_Kozume Kenma: whatever_

_Kozume Kenma: have fun_

_Kuroo Tetsurou: i’ll tell you all about it ;) ;)_

_Kozume Kenma: please don’t._

Kuroo was about to send something rude back to Kenma when the doorbell rang. He dropped his phone and went to answer it, Fuwafuwa running around his ankles. “Hey! Come on in.”

“Hi.” Akaashi stood on the doorstep, Ryuji jumping up in front of him. “Can I—”

“Yeah, let him off his leash. Fuwafuwa can show him around.” Akaashi did, and the two of them took off, leaving Kuroo and Akaashi at the door. Kuroo brought him inside and took his coat.

God, he wanted to kiss him again. Outside, it was drizzling rain, and Akaashi’s hair was frizzy and full. He was also wearing glasses, which Kuroo did _not_ know he wore, and they were adorable. So adorable he chickened out of making a move, offering Akaashi a pair of slippers instead.

“I wasn’t sure I was in the right place, at first,” Akaashi said. “Your house is beautiful.”

“Thanks. It’s my uncle’s place, actually.” Kuroo’s house was outside the city. It was small, but old, and traditional, all tatami floors and heavy furniture. “He moved away a few years ago, and he doesn’t have any kids, so he offered it to me. He charges me way too little in rent. I would never be able to afford it otherwise.”

He gave Akaashi a quick tour of the inside and made them some tea. He came into the living room with two cups just in time to see Akaashi flinch.

“Something wrong?” Kuroo quickly spotted the problem. “Oh, sorry. I should have warned you about Ojii-chan.”

Akaashi sat face-to-face with a gnarled, hissing cat. “I don’t think he likes me.”

“Don’t worry, he doesn’t like anyone. He’s all talk, though; he won’t actually hit you.” True to form, Ojii-chan gave them both a dirty look and slunk off to his cat bed beside the TV.

“So,” Akaashi said, “a dog and a cat—”

“Three cats,” Kuroo corrected, “but you probably won’t see the other two today. They’re basically feral. More failed adoptions.”

“And the chinchilla?” 

Kuroo hadn’t mentioned him on the tour, but it was hard to miss the giant cage in the dining room. “Yeah, the, uh, the shelter doesn’t take chinchillas…” He flushed. Kenma was the only person who came to his house regularly, and he was used to Kuroo’s ever-growing pet collection. “Is it too much?”

“No, not at all,” Akaashi said, reaching for his hand. “I think it’s sweet, Kuroo-san.”

“Tetsurou.”

Akaashi smiled softly. “Tetsurou.”

He kept holding Kuroo’s hand, and the desire to kiss him returned, stronger than ever. But Kuroo wanted to show him something first. “Come with me.”

He pushed the back doors open. The dogs bolted out into the yard, getting soaked; it was raining harder now. But the porch was dry, as was the swinging bench Kuroo’s uncle had left there, and the view was beautiful. “Want to sit out here for a while?”

“Sure,” Akaashi said. “It’s a little cold, though.”

“I’ve got you.” Kuroo pulled a big blanket from the chest in the corner. “Sit, sit.” Akaashi sat, and Kuroo layed it across his legs. He joined him underneath it, careful to stay a few inches apart. His heart clenched when Akaashi slid closer.

“They’re going to smell terrible after this,” Kuroo said, nodding at the dogs.

“Probably,” Akaashi agreed. “How was work this week?”

“Um, fine.” _Soul-sucking,_ Kuroo wanted to say, but he didn’t want to sound whiny.

“Yeah, me too. We don’t have to talk about work. Actually, can I ask you something?”

“Sure.”

“What made you start working at the shelter?”

Kuroo shifted in his seat. “Back in university, I went through kind of a hard time. I had to take stress leave for a semester, and I was really bored. I mean, I shouldn’t have been, I was supposed to be resting, but I was, and my best friend suggested I try volunteering. It was just cleaning duty at first, but after a while, I started helping with adoptions, too.”

“How long have you been there?”

“Five… six years, I think? Wow. It hasn’t felt that long.”

“Sounds like your friend made a good decision.”

“Yeah, he knows me well.” Kuroo smiled, thinking of Kenma. “He’s really successful these days — he’s a streamer and owns his own company — but when we were kids, I spent a lot of time taking care of him.” Akaashi sucked in a breath, like something Kuroo said had hurt him. “Hey, are you—”

“My, um—” He cleared his throat. “My best friend moved away recently. He’s a professional volleyball player, and he joined a team in Osaka. I’ve known him since high school, and he was my roommate until six months ago.” Akaashi spoke quickly, like he couldn’t keep the words in.

“I’m happy for him, but I didn’t realize how much time we spent together until he was gone, and I— I got very lonely. It was actually my therapist who suggested I get a dog.” He blinked. “Sorry, that might be too much information for a second date.”

Kuroo waved him off. “It’s fine. Really.”

“It’s just… hearing you talk about your friend reminded me of him. I used to spend a lot of time taking care of him, too, but he… he doesn’t need it anymore. And it’s nice to meet someone else— someone as caring as you.”

Kuroo inhaled sharply. “That’s… I’m…” He couldn’t speak. His face must have been beet red; at least Akaashi’s was, too. “Akaashi—”

“Keiji.”

 _“Keiji,”_ Kuroo breathed. “Can I please kiss you?”

Akaashi nodded, and this time, Kuroo didn’t hesitate. He pulled Akaashi as close as possible, tangling his hands in that oh-so-touchable hair of his. It felt great to kiss him, but better to hear how he responded to Kuroo’s touch, quiet gasps escaping his mouth. Akaashi’s hands wandered, slipping inside Kuroo’s flannel shirt.

He stilled immediately. “Sorry,” Akaashi said, “are they cold?”

They were freezing. “Let’s go inside and warm up.”

After a brief interlude to towel off the dogs, Kuroo took Akaashi to bed. He went slow, stripping off their clothing piece by piece. Every part of him wanted to rush, but it was with careful touches that he was able to draw moans from Akaashi, make his fingers dig into the sheets.

“You’re gorgeous, Keiji,” he whispered, before burrowing under the blankets to slot himself between Akaashi’s legs.

Akaashi moaned when he kissed his thighs. “God, Tetsurou—”

It sounded right, Akaashi saying his name. As soon as he acknowledged that, more things started to feel right, too. Akaashi in his bed. Akaashi in his _life._ He wanted to keep him here, tend to him, please him. Take care of him, if Akaashi would let him.

He’d start now, he decided, ducking his head to take Akaashi into his mouth.

*

They spent the rest of the evening in bed, emerging only to order takeout for dinner. They talked, about everything and nothing, but they also just held each other, content in the silence and small touches of each other’s bodies. Kuroo was thrilled when Akaashi accepted his offer to spend the night, doubly so when he got to dress him in his own pajamas. They wore the same size.

It was at midnight, as they were dozing off, that Akaashi said, “I really like you, Tetsurou.”

Kuroo pulled him impossibly closer. “I really like you, too.”

*

Kuroo woke to sunlight streaming through the window and Fuwafuwa staring at him from the floor. The bed was empty, and Kuroo panicked, thinking Akaashi had left without saying goodbye, until he spotted Ryuji hanging behind Fuwafuwa, begging much more subtly.

“Fuwafuwa, you’re a bad influence,” Kuroo told her. Ryuji had never begged at the shelter.

Akaashi appeared in the doorway. Kuroo was, again, struck by how much he looked like an angel. “I fed them already,” he said. “I don’t know what else they want.”

“Attention, probably. Too bad I’m saving it for you.” Kuroo squinted. “Is that my spatula?”

“I’m making breakfast. I hope you like omurice, because that’s about all I can make.”

“Omurice is great,” Kuroo said, throwing back the covers, “but please let me help.” He made it halfway out of bed before Akaashi pushed him back down with a surprising amount of force.

“Stay here and relax. I’ll bring it in.”

“That’s too much—”

“No, it’s not,” Akaashi said firmly. “I want to.”

“I— okay. Thank you.” Akaashi nodded and headed back into the kitchen. 

Kuroo watched him disappear before rolling over, hiding his ridiculous grin in the pillows.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You can find me at kyrstin.tumblr.com!


End file.
